1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a male terminal fitting and to a connector with such a fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 6-9073 discloses a connector with a housing and with cavities formed in the housing. Male terminal fittings are inserted into the cavities from behind and are intended to be stopped at proper insertion positions so as not to move any further forward. Locks formed in the housing then lock the male terminal fittings. Each male terminal fitting includes a rectangular tube formed with a locking hole that engages the corresponding lock, and a tab that projects from the front end of the rectangular tube for connection with a female terminal fitting. An area of the front end surface of the rectangular tube near the tab serves as a front-stop that contacts a receiving surface at the front end of the cavity in an effort to stop the terminal fitting at the front-limit position.
The male terminal fitting described above is formed by bending a plate member stamped out into a specified shape. The front-stop at the front end of the rectangular tube is aligned oblique to an inserting direction of the male terminal fitting due to a bending process. Further, a clearance is defined between the inner walls of the cavity and the outer surfaces of the male terminal fitting in view of dimensional tolerances. Accordingly, the male terminal fitting shakes in directions intersecting the inserting direction in the cavity. Thus, the male terminal fitting may make loose forward movements and may obliquely displace along the inclination of the front-stop even if the front-stop engages the receiving surface.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to securely stop a male terminal fitting at its front-limit position.
The invention relates to a male terminal fitting that can be inserted along an inserting direction into a cavity formed in a housing. The male terminal fitting has a contact surface substantially normal to the inserting direction and is stopped at a proper insertion position by contact of the contact surface with a receiving surface in the cavity. Accordingly, the terminal fitting will not make loose forward movements because the receiving surface is substantially normal to the inserting direction and is not displaced along the contact surface. Thus, tolerances do not influence the operability of the terminal fitting and the male terminal fitting can be stopped at the specified position so as not to move further forward.
The male terminal fitting preferably has an intermediate portion formed as a substantially rectangular tube and a front portion formed as a tab. A coupling portion with a tapered or converging shape preferably is formed at the front end of the substantially rectangular tube and is continuous with the base end of the tab. An overlay plate preferably is placed substantially on the outer surface of the coupling portion and includes the contact surface.
The coupling portion is formed into the tapered shape by a press and hence is potentially weak. However, the overlay plate reinforces the coupling portion. The outer edge of the contact surface is a sharp edge, and is located at the front end of the tapered coupling portion. However, the outer edge of the contact surface is more inward than the outer surface of the rectangular tube. Accordingly, the outer edge of the contact surface does not damage inner wall portions (for example, a sealing surface to be brought into close contact with a waterproof rubber plug in the case of a watertight connector, a resin lock provided along the inner wall of the cavity to lock the male terminal fitting) during insertion of the male terminal fitting.
A part of a wall that forms the substantially rectangular tube preferably has a double-plate structure with an inner plate and an outer plate placed over the inner plate. The overlay plate extends integrally or unitarily from the front of the outer plate. Thus, a boundary between the overlay plate and the outer plate at the front end of the rectangular tube is a relatively smooth and has no sharp edge. Accordingly, the front end of the rectangular tube will not damage the inner walls (for example, a sealing surface to be brought into close contact with a waterproof rubber plug in the case of a watertight connector, a resin lock provided along the inner wall of the cavity to lock the male terminal fitting) of the cavity during insertion of the male terminal fitting.
Rear edges of inner and outer plates preferably are aligned and function as a securing portion. The male terminal fitting is locked at the proper insertion position by the engagement of a lock in the cavity with the securing portion. Thus, a larger area of engagement can be attained as compared to a case where the lock is engaged with a portion formed by cutting a single plate.
The invention also relates to a connector with at least one male terminal fitting as described above. The male terminal fitting is insertable in an inserting direction into a cavity in a housing of the connector. The housing has a receiving surface arranged substantially normal to the inserting direction of the male terminal fitting in the cavity. Thus, the male terminal fitting is stopped at the specified proper insertion position by contact of the contact surface with the receiving surface and the male terminal fitting will not move further forward.
At least one deformation permitting space preferably is formed in the housing for permitting resilient deformation of a lock in the housing. The lock comprises at least one thin portion formed by partially cutting a surface of the lock that faces the deformation permitting space. The lock also comprises a thick portion that is thicker than the thin portion.
The housing preferably has a plurality of cavities and locks are provided in the respective cavities for engaging and locking the terminal fittings. Some locks form at least parts of partition walls between adjacent cavities.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.